Supplementary Feeding and Bearded Vulture Survival
Author Information
Author(s): Oro Daniel, Margalida Antoni, Carrete Martina, Heredia Rafael, Donázar José Antonio
Primary Institution: IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Mallorca, Spain
Hypothesis
Does the provision of supplementary food at artificial feeding sites improve the survival rates of bearded vultures?
Conclusion
Supplementary feeding can delay population extinction of bearded vultures but is not sufficient to prevent population decline.
Supporting Evidence
- Supplementary feeding increased survival rates of pre-adult vultures.
- Adult survival rates decreased over time despite supplementary feeding.
- Population projections indicated a high risk of extinction without addressing poisoning.
Takeaway
Feeding vultures at special places helps them survive longer, but it doesn't stop their numbers from going down.
Methodology
The study used long-term data from 95 marked bearded vultures to analyze survival rates and population dynamics through capture-mark-recapture models and Monte Carlo simulations.
Potential Biases
Potential biases include the effects of illegal poisoning and the variability in individual use of artificial feeding sites.
Limitations
The study's findings may not be generalizable to other vulture species or populations due to specific environmental and ecological conditions.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on the Spanish population of bearded vultures, primarily in the Pyrenees.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Confidence Interval
0.944±0.012 for young birds, 0.878±0.014 for adults
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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